A triple-headed shower wets down the hogs riding in Union Pacific triple-deck cars at Dry Lake, Nev., on a hot July day in 1977. The train is the California Livestock Special, bound for Los Angeles. Steve Patterson photo […]
Watering hogs on the UP
Type of Train: Freight
Will autonomous trucks put the iron horse out to pasture? – Analysis
There’s no question that autonomous trucks pose a threat to the railroad industry. They’re not here quite yet, but TuSimple is proving the concept with driverless rigs that are making revenue runs on highways in the Southwest. And other companies are working to develop battery-electric trucks. If proven feasible and deployed in sufficient numbers, driverless […]
Coast Guard to communicate with STB, rather than parties in Gulf Coast dispute
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Coast Guard official asked to meet with the parties involved in the Amtrak Gulf Coast dispute says the service branch will deal directly with federal regulators, the parties have informed the Surface Transportation Board. In a joint filing Monday by Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and the Alabama State Port Authority […]
CSX, NS ask regulators to order mediation in Amtrak Gulf Coast case (updated)
WASHINGTON — The three parties opposing Amtrak’s effort to launch Gulf Coast passenger service have asked the Surface Transportation Board to require mediation in the case, set for a hearing before the board in April. Amtrak has filed a response opposing the request. In a Friday, March 25, joint filing, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and […]
Grain shippers complain about delays on BNSF, NS, and UP
WASHINGTON — The trade group representing grain producers says severe delays on BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific have forced its members to shut down flour mills as well as feed mills that produce food for livestock. The National Grain and Feed Association outlined the rail service problems in a letter posted to the […]
Russia-Ukraine war likely to bolster U.S. coal exports: Analysis
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. railroads are hauling more coal this year, and coal analysts say international demand is likely to strengthen U.S. coal exports in part to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Energy Information Administration’s latest outlook expects U.S. coal production to rise 4% in 2022 to 604 million short tons. It anticipates the […]
Manitoba announces plan for rail park at inland port
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Province of Manitoba has announced an agreement with a major real estate developer for a 665-acre, rail-served industrial park as part of an existing inland port. Focus Equities Inc. will build the CentrePort Canada Rail Park as part of the 20,000-acre CentrePort Canada in the Rural Municipality of Rosser, northwest of […]
XPO Logistics sells intermodal business
GREENWICH, Conn. — XPO Logistics, which deals in less-than-truckload shipping and truck brokerage, has sold has sold its North American intermodal business to STG Logistics for $710 million, XPO announced on Friday. The intermodal unit, which involved about 700 employees and provided rail brokerage and drayage at 48 locations, generated about $1.2 billion in revenue […]
Union Pacific train derails in northern Iowa
ROCKWELL, Iowa — Thirty-five cars of a Union Pacific grain train derailed in Iowa’s Cerro Gordo County, KIMT-TV reports. No injuries were reported. A Union Pacific representative told the station on Friday that the locomotives and railcars involved in the Thursday derailment had been cleared from the right-of-way, and track repairs were in progress. Restoration […]
Santa Fe New Mexico branchline service
Santa Fe New Mexico branchline service epitomizes a long-gone era of U.S. railroading — the kind where locals and shuttles move rural freight (and passengers) in unhurried ways. True, this photo gallery from the David P. Morgan Library collection offers dedicated copper-mine running. But there are no “hot-shots”, high-priority merchandise freights, or even an intermodal […]
Unions turn to arbitration in effort to strike down BNSF attendance policies
CLEVELAND — The two unions who were blocked from striking over new BNSF Railway attendance policies imposed by BNSF Railway seek to overturn those rules through arbitration. In a statement Wednesday, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division said they would “proceed as […]
STB addresses details on Gulf Coast hearing, allows more comments on switching
WASHINGTON — In separate actions Wednesday, the Surface Transportation Board outlined additional information for its upcoming hearing on Amtrak’s efforts to initiate Gulf Coast service, and on its consideration of new rules regarding reciprocal switching. Rules outlined for Amtrak hearing, to be held online Regarding the Amtrak hearing, set to begin April 4, the board […]
